So its been a while. It’s been good, its been stressful, sometimes it has looked like its going to get ugly, but in the end it always ends up ok. My CMA had excellent advice during my Institute mini-panic attack….as she pointed out… “what’s the worst that can happen? you have a bad day with…

I began to understand the concept of “instructional time” at Institute, when I was convinced my FA had it out for a particular student and would take him from me.  While said student was occasionally disruptive, NOT having him in class was far more detrimental to me because he was one of my students who…

I had my first chance to be the bad guy last week.  Progress reports came out. And when you are just about a month in school, and you figure in a solid week of NWEA diagnostic testing, that comes out to about 5 assignments, 2 of which  were homework.  And if students decided not to…

This has been a new kind of tired. Institute is brutal, but now I know why. Being able to stay on your feet and be engaging for 8 hrs with 6th graders requires an intense amount of stamina. And I was a varsity college athlete…this is a new kind of tired, its both physical and…

No really, I did get a mango from my department head. Tomorrow I become the instructional leader of my classroom. “Open House” was two nights ago, so I have already met some of my students and parents. The parents I met were really supportive…all 9 of them. Out of about 90. And I had one…

“School” for teachers has started, and I am incredibly lucky. My staff is unbelievably supportive…I’ve heard the stories about TFA teachers who face resentment by veteran teachers or faculty… but that just isnt the case at my school…its really the opposite. I think like the average age of the staff can’t be older than 30……

Things are crazy, but I have found a home. I am happy here, with the water a block and a half away (I can see it from the bedroom window) and mountains on the otherside. Sitting on the roof, its ridiculous to think we actually live here. Round Zero is in full force. Working on…

The learning curve is steep. I miss the people at institute, and my kids. Not the paperwork so much, but at least everything was in one place. Now its apartment renting, car buying, and “getting my life together.” On top of “Round Zero” aka, Institute part 2. Its crazy how much has changed, yet how…

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